I've said it before, and I'll say it again.
(And by "say," I mean "backdoor brag.")
I'm a summa cum laude and ΦΒΚ graduate of a major university. I was first in my class, earning straight A's while holding competitive internships. I received a highly sought-after doctoral fellowship.
And I'm lucky to have just been offered an entry-level clerical temp job.How many aphorisms are there about making your own opportunities? Carpe diem. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Be the change you want to see in the world. Protestant work-ethic. The self-made man. God helps those who help themselves. Yes we can. Seize the day. Those are all still true today, more or less... but it takes more effort than it did a generation ago. Only 74% of Americans in my age bracket are working. Making your own opportunities is only possible to a point; those openings are being choked off by corporate irresponsibility, voter apathy, polarization, congressional dumbassery, lax educational standards, you pick 'em.
I'm not trying to shirk any responsibility, here--I could've applied myself in more lucrative subjects as a teenager. But it's not my fault that the banking industry destroyed my generation's economic future.
There's nothing like unemployment to turn a young person political. I've considered myself to be socially conscious for years, ever since I took a seminar on sexuality and public life as a sophomore; but until recently, I've been content to stay ensconced in academe's ivory tower, comfortable with First Amendment theorizing. It let me feel like I was "getting involved," but without getting my hands dirty. My righteous indignation at Bush's reelection was thoroughly expressed in a strongly-worded writing assignment.
Like I said above, I know I'm lucky to have the job I've just taken. But I know that there are more substantial, yet still sensibly achievable, things I want to do with my energy and my career. I can only hope that I get the chance to do them.
Now I find myself volunteering my research skills to support Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Boston. I'm assisting a local TEDx conference, sponsoring speakers dedicated to helping communities thrive. These are ways I can contribute, using my training to benefit causes that might actually impact lives--including my own--for the better. That description makes the enterprise sound much grander than it actually is, but I do feel that most real change comes through lots of people making reasonable contributions (and a few more heroic people making much larger sacrifices). But I'm up for a challenge, something that will require passionate dedication, and I haven't found a way to make that happen yet.
I'm happy to work hard, as I think my credentials show, but the fight to fulfill my ambitions is going to leave me battered and bruised--and there's no guarantee I'll win.
